


The Next Step

by jaekayelle



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-24 00:26:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17694095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaekayelle/pseuds/jaekayelle
Summary: John confuses Rodney.





	The Next Step

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: the characters belong to MGM. No copyright infringement intended. No profits made from this work of fiction.

The yelp got John's attention so he whirled around, certain the cry had come from Rodney. Ever vigilant when it came to anything and everything that affected Rodney, he hurried over to where his friend was stomping around cradling his hand. 

"Hey, buddy," John spoke softly, concerned. "What happened?"

Turning to face him, Rodney's bottom lip was trapped between his teeth, but it was the lines digging into his brows and the watery pain filling his eyes that made John's heart pound harder, faster. 

Dropping his gaze to Rodney's hand he reached out, quickly seeking permission to touch before making contact. A jerky nod and he gently tugged the hands apart. 

The back of the right one was an angry red. It looked like it was throbbing. Ouch.

"What happened?" he asked again. 

"Got caught…between the pan-els," was the breathless reply.

Rodney had been working on replacing crystals in the Ancient machinery. Something to do with keeping the drinking water on Lapala fresh and salt free. John frowned at the metal doors, now closed, wanting to accuse them of deliberately trying to hurt Rodney. He was only trying to fix it, after all. There was no reason to bite. 

John shifted closer, glad they were alone. The other scientists and trio of marines who had come along were around the other side of the hulking equipment. 

"Hey," he said softly, waiting until Rodney looked at him, really looked at him. There was a little sniff -- not that Rodney was crying, a lot of nerves resided in the hands and fingers and tears were often a reflex in such cases. It appeared that the index finger had also gotten caught – and then Rodney's mouth turned down in anger and annoyance. It was directed at himself, John could tell, for being incautious enough to let the accident happen. John's thumb rubbed circles over the injured hand until the anger faded and the tension eased.

Blue eyes regarded him impatiently, but there was also curiosity. 

Drawing the hand upwards John met it halfway and bent over it, his lips brushing the spot where the skin was marred. It felt hot where the tip of his tongue flicked over it.

A strangled moan was bitten off before it got so loud that the others could hear. 

"John…?" he whispered, confusion evident. 

"Shh. That looks pretty sore. Do you want me to get a medic?" 

"Um," Rodney flexed the hand and then the fingers one by one. "It's not too bad. Ice pack, maybe? I should get back to work as soon as possible." 

"Okay. I’ll be right back." John winked, happy to see Rodney blush in response, well on his way to becoming flustered. He proved it by stammering, "O-okay."

John grinned and went in search of an ice pack, hoping that this could be the beginning of a new stage in their courtship. It was the first time he had been this direct. Since Rodney so far seemed unaware that they had been courting for the last few years, it was about to get a lot more fun. 

 

# end


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